"Will she be okay?" Cora asks. The Combat Competition is on hold while the leaders try to figure out how the First Flame touched her.
"I don't know," Darren replies.
Cora is serious, like him. She looks like him too, with her dark hair and brown eyes. But she loves Eval.
"Shouldn't you be in the meeting?" I point out.
"No," he responds, "it's been adjourned."
"I was thinking," I say. "I don't think that mark is new. I think it is old."
"Old!" he exclaims. "How could that be? How could it be old?"
"She has been like this before, now that I think about it. She would clutch her wrist, crying out that she would never be free. But always she succeeded in convincing us that she was fine, which is why I dismissed it from memory. I shall not do so again. Never... she never collapsed, though, that's the thing. So why now? Why only now does it affect her?"
"I don't know. My only guess is that he decided it was time to send a message to you."
Eval walks up. "They can't remove the burn. It.. it is his mark," he confirms.
We gasp.
Theories are one thing, absolute truth and cold facts are another thing entirely.
Oh my Orla. My poor, amazing Orla with your brown hair and sparkling blue eyes.
What is it that torments you so?
When were you burned?
Scarred by the First Flame?
~~~
The next morning Orla is somewhat better. The Combat Competition is permanently off, to the sadness of everyone who loves chocolate. Instead, they have announced that we will be battling each other, and only the top ten winners will go Aboveground, Outside, with them.
Orla will not be competing.
Tomorrow we are going Aboveground. It has been seven years since I have been Aboveground.
Seven years.
~~~
"Is everyone ready?" Darren calls from his position next to Eval as Judge. "The first pair will be..." He consults his list to make sure he is correct before continuing. "Kyle and Karen."
We clap, but inwardly we are all nervous, waiting for that moment when it is our turn, when our name is called.
After all, only the top ten combatants are going with Andrea, Kimberly, Eval, Darren, and Drew.
And I will be one of them.
Regardless of my fear.
~~~
One hour later Darren finally calls my name. So far Cora, Kyle, Caleb and the twins Mariel and Kent have won, and Mareth, Karen, Abe, Matt, and Ally have lost.
Which side would I end up on?
I must fight Aben, a tall guy, but my advantage is being small, fast, and a better fighter. Oh yes, I have seen him fight. I will win this fight, I know.
Eval whistles and we are off.
He punches, but I duck, and hit his gut. He doubles over in pain, allowing me to slip behind and cut off his air.
This will be a quick fight.
But Aben straightens while I am still on his back. He bangs me into the wall, over and over.
Pain erupts in my head, and my vision starts to go black.
NO!!! NO!!! I cannot lose this!!
In desperation I grasp at his neck, hanging onto it as my only hope as the pain flares strong, and I start to collapse. The wall has created a bump, a huge one, on the back of my head, and banging it over and over is making me go out.
He collapses limply onto the floor, and I stand, dizzy and swaying, with pain hammering my head.
But I have won.
~~~
"Those that I will take with me Aboveground will be Cora, Kyle, Mariel, Kent, Jaziel, Caleb, Boaz, Raina, and Bern," Darren says.
I stop.
Whispers buzz in the crowd. That's only nine! And I am the tenth winner!
"Ara," he says, "must battle Eval before she can go."
He looks both nervous and stern.
Battle Eval? He is unbeatable! He has never lost.
Yet I must win, so I cross the path, and enter the arena.